Teacher, family of four killed in Rangpur

The brutal killing of a retired schoolteacher and three members of his family has shocked the country after police recovered their bodies from a locked house in Rangpur city’s Machuapara area, with preliminary evidence suggesting that the victims were strangled.

The deceased were retired Rangpur Zilla School teacher Ganapati Chakraborty, 65, his wife Pritilata Bala Chakraborty, 55, their daughter Prarthi Chakraborty, 25, and son Priyom Chakraborty, 12. Prarthi had recently completed her master’s degree at Carmichael College, while Priyom was a fifth-grade student at Rangpur Zilla School.

Police detained two people for questioning in connection with the killings and said the suspects had confessed during preliminary interrogation.

The two — Mugdho Roy, 23, son of Kanudas, and Siddhartha, 19, son of Binoy Chandra Das — are maternal cousins and neighbours of the victims. Both are residents of the Machuapara area under Kotwali police station.

The bodies were recovered during an overnight operation that began at about 11pm on Saturday and continued until 5am on Sunday.

Police broke open the door of the two-storey house, located beside a temple, after neighbours and relatives reported that they had received no response from the family since Thursday afternoon.

The bodies were found in different parts of the house, including a bedroom, attic and rooftop.

They were later sent to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examinations.

Rangpur Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (DB) Sanatan Chakraborty said preliminary evidence of murder had been found on all four bodies.

He said the victims might have been strangled, noting injury marks around their necks and the presence of gamchhas or nylon ropes around their mouths.

Rangpur CID’s Acting Superintendent of Police Sumit Chowdhury said the bodies had begun to decompose and that investigators believed the deaths had occurred three to four days earlier.

Police also found signs that the house had been ransacked. Wardrobes and drawers had been searched, while evidence suggested that gold ornaments and cash had been taken.

The electricity connection to the house had also been cut.

At a briefing on Sunday, Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Abdul Mabud said investigators suspected that the killings were linked to an objection raised by Ganapati Chakraborty over drug use.

He said evidence of yaba consumption had been found at the house, leading investigators to suspect that the perpetrators had used the drug before or after the killings.

According to the police account, the two suspects went to the rooftop late on Thursday to consume yaba.

Ganapati, who heard noises upstairs, went to confront them.

Police said the teacher was bare-chested, with a gamchha over his shoulder, when he challenged the two men.

The commissioner said the suspects then killed Ganapati to prevent him from identifying them and subsequently killed the other three family members.

Police said the suspects later attempted to make the killings appear to be a robbery.

According to investigators, Siddhartha, who works as an artisan at a jewellery shop, tested a stolen ornament by burning it after the killings.

The suspects allegedly scattered household items to create the impression that the house had been looted.

Before leaving, they allegedly placed two mobile phones belonging to the family in water mixed with detergent in an attempt to remove fingerprints.

Meanwhile, the deceased teacher’s brother filed a case on Saturday night, accusing unidentified people.

The crime scene is being examined by the CID, which is collecting evidence as part of the investigation.

The killings have sparked outrage in Rangpur, with teachers, students and political groups demanding swift justice and exemplary punishment.

Rangpur-3 MP Mahbubur Rahman Belal called for the perpetrators to be prosecuted quickly, saying the incident had raised serious concerns about public safety in the city.

“This incident has created a threat in our safe city. Therefore, I believe swift action must be taken on this matter,” he said.

Teachers and students of Rangpur Zilla School formed a human chain and staged a protest demanding exemplary punishment for those responsible.

The Rangpur district unit of BASAD organised another protest procession at noon, starting from the Press Club and passing through major city streets before ending with a rally at Jahaj Company Intersection. Protesters demanded the immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of all those involved.

The metropolitan unit of Jamaat-e-Islami also held a procession and rally from the Public Library grounds in the afternoon, making similar demands for immediate action and exemplary punishment.